“Morning,” he said with a secret smile.
“Morning,” she said. “What’s up?”
“Do you notice anything?” he asked her.
She ran her gaze over him and then over Max before shaking her head. “Should I?”
“Over there!” Max said, pointing at the wall next to the fridge. “See?”
She looked and her heart tripped. There, hanging on the wall next to the metal N and M they’d bought on that long-ago shopping trip was the letter J.
“You got me a J?” She clasped her hands. “Oh, that’s so sweet!”
Noah shrugged. “I wanted to show you that you belong with us.” She started to cry and Noah wrapped her in his arms. “Ah, baby.”
“Why are you crying, Jessie?” Max asked. “Daddy said you’d be happy.”
She sniffled and wiped at her eyes. “I am happy, sweetie.” Looking up at Noah, she nodded. “So happy.”
“Cool,” Max said. “Now can we eat?”
Jessie and Noah both laughed and disentangled themselves. She popped two waffles into the toaster and they began to eat what had become their usual Sunday breakfast.
“I talked to Shannon last night,” she said, passing Noah the syrup.
“What did she have to say?”
“I don’t think she’s going to like living out in the tent-cabin for long.”
“No offense baby, but it’s an acquired taste,” Noah said, setting the syrup back on the counter.
She clicked her tongue. “She’s not happy, though. I thought if she started working here in Cypress, she’d begin to feel at home.”
Noah arched a brow. “Do you think she’ll leave?”
The thought of that possibility caused her belly to twist. “I don’t like the thought of her moving away.”
“She’s a big girl, Jessie.”
Jessie nodded. “I know. But Noah, we only had each other after our dad died. And I was a crappy big sister.”
“You weren’t.” He stepped off his stool and wrapped his arms around her. “You had your own stuff going on, and so did she.”
“Spoken like an only child.”
He scoffed and held her slightly away from him. “I might not know what it’s like to have a sibling but I know what it’s like to feel responsible.”
She glanced over to where Max was upending the syrup bottle over his waffles. “Yes, you do.”
“She has to be responsible for herself. You have other things to keep you busy now. Me and Max? We’re a handful.”
What he said was true. It would be tough, but she had to give Shannon space to figure out her own stuff. She glanced at him and noticed that he had that mysterious smile on his face again.
“What is up with you, Noah?” she asked.
“Are you happy, Jessie? With me and Max?”
She blinked as she processed his questions. “Very.”
Noah’s eyes were intent on her. “Then stay.”
She laughed a little. “Have you been able to get rid of me since Shannon moved out to the tent-cabin?”
“I’m not asking you to live with me, Jessie. I want you to marry me.”
Her breath caught. “Marry you?”
He nodded. “Be my forever?
“Forever?” She swallowed. “Are you sure?”
He gave her that smile that always made her heart race. “Yep. Right, Max?” he tossed over to the little boy. “Don’t we want Jessie to marry us?”
The little boy looked as surprised by the question as Jessie was, his blue eyes round. Then he gave them a syrupy grin. “Yep.”
“Oh.” She covered her mouth for a second, and then nodded. “Yes, Noah.” She took a breath and sighed. “Yes, I’ll marry you. And you too, Max.”
Noah hugged her tight and kissed her brow. He gave her one more sweet kiss on her lips and then leaned back with a grin. “I’m glad that’s settled.”
“Been thinking about that for a while, have you?” she teased.
“Oh, yeah.”
She touched his face, rubbing her thumb over the golden stubble on his cheek. “I love you.”
His eyes sparkled. “I love you, too.”
He kissed her again and then made her a cup of coffee. They ate and laughed. They talked and planned. She’d been content to keep herself insulated from everything over the past five years. From entanglements, from relationships. She’d been content, but not happy.
Taking the job here had been the first step in breaking free, in reaching for her own happiness. Falling for Noah had been the last.
She still had her big comfy sweater, but she wouldn’t use it to hide any more. She gazed at Max again, warmth filling her as she thought of having him as a stepson. Maybe someday she’d use that sweater to wrap up her baby. Hers and Noah’s.
Noah showed her that day he’d run her down at the tent-cabin that she was worthy of love. He showed her this morning that she was worthy of forever.
She’d found her happiness in Cypress Corners with Noah. With Max, too. And this would be her forever.
About the Author
JoMarie DeGioia is a bestselling author of Historical and Contemporary Romance. She’s known Mickey Mouse from the “inside,” has been a copyeditor for her tiny town’s newspaper, and a bookseller. A hybrid author, she also writes Young Adult Fantasy/Adventure stories, New Adult Romance and Paranormal Romance. She gets lost in DIY projects around the house and works out plot ideas during long runs. She divides her time between Central Florida and New England.
Discover other books by JoMarie DeGioia
The Dashing Nobles series, including
More Than Passion
Pride and Fire
Just Perfect
More Than Charming
The Gentlemen Undercover series, including
A Hero and a Gentleman
The Cypress Corners series, including
Finding Harmony
Taming Jake
Loving Cassie
Winning Ben
The Gifted YA Fantasy/Adventure Trilogy, including
Gifted
Braunachs of the Dell series, including
Luke’s Gold
Patrick’s Promise
Connect with me online
Twitter: https://twitter.com/JoMarieDeGioia
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/JoMarie.DeGioia.Author
Website: www.jomariedegioia.com
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